


Heart to heart

by EnlacingLines



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Conversations about love, Established Relationship, Fluff, Humor, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers, Persona 5: The Royal Spoilers, Pining, spoilers for first Jail of strikers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-26 09:28:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30103854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnlacingLines/pseuds/EnlacingLines
Summary: “I will make a note of that. You also have twenty-seven photos in a locked folder with a red heart as the title.”Akira drops his phone. On Morgana. Chaos ensues for a second.Once Akira has apologised profusely, he clears his throat and turns back to his phone. “Uh yeah. They’re photos of my boyfriend.”----Sophia wants to learn about hearts. Akira needs to talk about love.Spoilers for the first Jail of Strikers and Royal.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 36
Kudos: 373





	Heart to heart

**Author's Note:**

> I had this very specific idea in my head about 2 hours into playing Strikers. And here we are. 
> 
> This is basically 5K of Akira thinking about love and relationships...hope you enjoy!
> 
> Thank you to my lovely beta MxTicketyBoo <3

The image takes a second to load, his phone barely able to keep up with its new, high-tech resident. At first, Akira’s not sure what he’s looking at; then grimaces as it comes into focus. He should probably be more concerned that he automatically checks his phone when the alert chimes without thinking, having only himself to blame for such situations. Being free from school and from Sojiro’s scolding makes him far too suggestable to electronic devices. 

As now he’s staring at what appears to be a dissected human heart. 

“Sophia,” he says, clicking off the image with a questioning call. 

“Hello Akira, I wanted to ask about the heart,” she says. 

He smiles to himself, leaning back in his desk chair. Their little crash course in phantom thievery is clearly being taken seriously. Which is good, as they’ll need to go back to the jail in a few hours, but he could do without the sudden bloody imagery. 

“Sure,” he says. 

“You said we should not kill Alice, but you steal hearts. I am led to believe that a human cannot live without one, so I’m confused.” 

That produces a pretty horrible image that Akira dislodges with a shake of his head. “It’s a metaphor,” he quickly reassures. 

“Metaphor?” 

It’s hard at times to tell exactly her level of understanding, what with the vastness of information made available to her, but how and what she accesses and the order inscrutable. 

“Yeah. We don’t actually remove their real hearts. It’s more tied to emotions. Desires, good and bad are represented by the heart. It’s less anatomically correct in the symbolism though,” Akira says, hoping that’s the most straightforward way. 

There’s no sound from his phone for a moment, before a ping echoes. “I see. A symbol. Like this one?” 

He looks down to see the double heart emoji, making him grin. “Yeah, like that. It’s Ann’s favourite. She sends it to her friends, showing she loves them.” 

“And love makes people happy? Do you feel happy when you get this from Ann?” she asks. 

“I do,” Akira says. 

Their messages have been quiet lately. It aches at times, to go through so much together, speaking daily, and yet within a few months that contact slowed. Akira knows it’s fine, has proven it to himself with how easy and good it is being back with his friends, but it pulls at fears grounded in a different reality, crushed but not forgotten. 

“It seems she loves you very much with the quantity she sends of these hearts,” Sophia says. 

Akira closes his eyes, lets himself breathe for a moment, relief and joy soaring. “That’s good to hear,” he replies. And exactly what he needed to right now. 

“It is?” Sophia questions. 

“It's always good to hear that people care about you,” Akira says. 

“I understand. I’ll keep learning about the heart, so I can be helpful to the Phantom Thieves,” she says. 

“You’re already helpful, Sophia,” Akira replies. 

In response, she sends him the white heart emoji. Akira laughs, and sends the black one back. 

* * *

“Akira, are you tired? Can I help?” Sophia says. 

Akira sighs. He is tired, but she can’t really help. The Jail is draining in a different way to Palaces, and with his usual go-tos for supplies out of the question, it’s slow progress. 

“I’m just going to chill and eat something. Thank you, though,” he says, yawning. 

Morgana jumps up onto the bed. “Are you sure you’re okay to go again later?” 

“I’ll be fine,” he says, because he will and well, they don’t really have that much choice. It just smarts that it seems he cannot travel away from the hometown he no longer thinks of as home without being swamped in metaverse incidents. It would be nice to just spend time with his friends, do normal things without the fate of others on his shoulders. 

Maybe at some point, he’ll get to be normal again. 

His phone chimes, and turns it over to see Sophia has sent him the little white heart again. “Thank you,” he says. 

“You’re welcome. I do have more questions though. On hearts, if you’re not too tired,” she says. 

“Oh, what have you learned so far, Sophia?” Morgana asks, curling up next to Akira on the bed. 

“The heart is most commonly used for showing love in different forms, as Akira told me. I have been researching Valentine’s Day, White Day, and Christmas Eve as festive occasions where heart symbols are often given,” she says. 

“Sounds thorough,” Akira replies, yawning. 

“I hope so. Love makes people happy, and as humanity’s companion I think it’s important to learn about it.” 

“Love is a powerful emotion, for sure. It drives people to do great things. Some not so great things as well,” Morgana says. 

“Hm yes, it seems like a dangerous emotion,” Sophia replies. 

“All emotions can be dangerous, depending on how they are directed and why,” Akira says. 

There’s silence from his non-human companions. Morgana sits up and Akira musters a neutral look. Now is not the time or place to start diving into a debate on this. 

“You use different heart emojis quite a lot, Akira.” Sophia says. 

That does make him smile. “I guess I do.” 

“Most often with Ann, but you also use the green heart with Futaba, although she returns it with the clown most frequently, occasionally with Yusuke and Haru, and the blue one with someone called...Sumire,” Sophia says. 

Akira blinks. Sophia’s gone through a lot of his message history in a short amount of time. “Yeah, she’s training at gymnastic camp this summer. She’s a good friend, and a part-time Phantom Thief.” 

“We should check in with her,” Morgana says, Akira nodding, slight guilt piercing through at not doing so earlier. He’s hoping that her return and his departure will crossover enough to at least spend a day with her. 

“I will make a note of that. You also have twenty-seven photos in a locked folder with a red heart as the title.”

Akira drops his phone. On Morgana. Chaos ensues for a second. 

Once Akira has apologised profusely, he clears his throat and turns back to his phone. “Uh yeah. They’re photos of my boyfriend.” 

He should have expected this. Sophia is _inside his phone_ , she has access to everything. Akira’s just been doing a fantastic job of not thinking about the gaping absence both by his side and in his chest since this all began, and it’s been almost a relief to have such a good distraction. 

“I see. I didn’t look, as they were locked,” Sophia says.

“Why did you lock your photos away?” Morgana asks, padding over and sitting on Akira’s lap. 

“So I’m not tempted to keep looking at them,” Akira replies, petting him gently. When he’s not immediately clawed to stop he continues. 

“Does your boyfriend not make you happy? I’m confused,” Sophia says. 

“He does, it’s...complicated,” Akira says, wincing over using such a cliché. “But I put them in a locked folder as looking at them constantly made missing him overwhelm other things, and I need that to...not happen.” 

Morgana looks up at him, sadness clear and Akira surrenders to the pitch setting in chest, thick and scaled, filling and cloying at every crevasse. It’s not always like this, more a bruise, occasionally jabbed into blooming ache. But he’s been pushing down sensation for days now, and being back in Tokyo, visiting the places he’d once been with Goro, is making it fresh and jumbled. 

The TV station in particular had been tough; the same backdrop, the same lights, the same interviewers. Ann had grabbed his hand at one point, knowing exactly what he’d been thinking of. But it’s good, in a way, to walk those paths and see differences, not to shut off spaces and tomb them in pasts and people. Besides, he’d wanted to see for himself exactly how Alice acted, it was important to him he go. 

“He makes you happy, but it also hurts you to look at photos,” Sophia clarifies, bringing him to the present. 

Morgana’s claws dig into his leg slightly, a reminder he doesn’t have to do this, but after days of quiet it’s actually cathartic. “Not exactly. I like seeing him, us. But all I have for now are photos and memories. It reminds me of what I can’t have as much as what I do.” 

“Akira…” Morgana mumbles softly as he falls silent. 

He sighs into the space, then goes through his phone. He taps on the locked folder, enters a password that Sophia will now know, not that he minds really, and pulls up the last photo taken. 

“Here. This is Goro,” he says, and even he can hear the smile in his voice. 

It was taken in early June, the last time they saw each other, and what is probably going to be the last time they do see each other for some time. Yet another reason why Akira felt the need to lock it away, only 6 weeks after capturing it. 

They're standing in a wooded area just outside his hometown, on the top of a hill. Bamboo trees can be seen either side of them, although mostly their faces take up the frame. Akira’s not wearing his glasses here, at Goro’s insistence, and Akira thinks it’s the only photo he has of himself in the last year and half without glasses. It had been a humid day, Goro’s hair pulled back in a ponytail, sunglasses perched on his head. 

Akira recalls the heat of the day, the way Goro had rolled his eyes, exasperated at Akira’s insistence they take the photo. But he’d given in with only a few choice words and judgemental quips on Akira’s sentimental streak. Akira sent it to him afterwards, but doesn’t know what Goro’s done with it. Part of him hopes he too has it in a folder, kept safe and secure.

“You both look happy,” Sophia says. 

Akira nods. “We are. I think. I hope. But as we’re not able to see each other, it can be difficult to be reminded of that.” 

“Why are you not able to see each other?” Sophia asks. 

Akira looks at Morgana, who keeps his gaze. Akira’s never been one to speak freely about his personal matters. It takes time for him to both trust and not feel like a burden. With matters relating to Goro, it’s even harder; not many people in his life are, understandably, that comfortable yet with in-depth discussions on this topic. His friends care about him, he knows that. They also know that he’s happier this way, and are supportive.

But it’s another matter to ask to confide in them about a grey area in which they have their own, personal ghosts to deal with. He’s also wanted this summer to be about spending time with his friends specifically. Not as a distraction or a second choice, but because he genuinely misses them. They are just as important in his life as a relationship, and while all aspects are still working their respective ways into a whole, at times they need clear separation.

The question has been asked though, and Akira has nothing to hide. “Goro is staying in a rehabilitation centre. He’s working on himself. On moving forward and accepting the past.” 

“Moving forward and accepting the past?” Sophia asks. 

Akira hesitates, trying to find the words to distill everything. “We fought on different sides, and he was forced into a position where his only options were terrible. He...hurt people. Killed. It doesn’t excuse his actions, but there’s underlying issues and trauma that led to it. He’s facing the consequences of what he did, but in a space where he can be something new, when he gets there.” 

“Phantom Thieves do not kill,” Sophia says. 

“We don’t. But if you’re taught that’s what you need to do, is the only thing you can do to survive and keep going, then you feel you have little choice, especially when you’re barely older than a kid.” Akira takes a breath, can feel his annoyance flaring. “That’s why Goro’s taking the time to unravel all that was behind his motivations, as well as accepting what he did, and being given the opportunity to carve a life after it.”

Morgana lets out a supportive purr and Akira smiles. He’s proud of what Goro’s doing, even if a part of him hates the idea of them being separated for the third time. 

“I see. That sounds like a good thing. Are you not able to visit?” Sophia asks. 

“We decided not to do visits. Not yet. He’s focusing on what he needs to do now, and he wants space to be able to. I think it’s the best idea, too. Which is why I miss him, and why the photos make me sad,” Akira explains. 

“I see. Thank you, Akira. I have learned more about the heart and relationships today,” Sophia says. 

“Thank you for listening to me,” Akira says, which sounds a little odd considering she’s an AI programme, but he is genuinely thankful for her time. 

“Thank you for telling me,” she replies.

* * *

No matter where they go, the influence of Alice Hiiragi is visible. Akira’s buying supplies, and Alice’s latest song is blasting from the top of the nearest building, the video being gawked at despite playing on loop the entirety of Akira’s shopping trip. 

He’d have thought the calling card sent would change the atmosphere, yet despite the showing on screens merely an evening before, here it’s once again replaced by Alice propaganda. Futaba assures them it’s been a hit online, but you wouldn’t be able to tell with how her fans continue to purchase merch at the speed of light, and her latest release echoes. 

It makes it worse that Yusuke starts humming it. 

“Dude, cut it out,” Ryuji says, whacking him on the arm. 

Yusuke pauses, blinking. “I hadn’t realised what I was doing, apologies.” 

“It is catchy,” Akira says, as to be fair, it really is, even if it’s just fabricated from the clutches she has on people and their desires. 

Sophia chimes from his pocket, and Akira quickly pulls out his phone so she can address the others. “Alice’s earlier songs have the same beat, even if they’re rougher in composition. Her style is unique.” 

Akira spies a vending machine and grabs drinks, puts a set in his already overly heavy bags, and hands the others over. Yusuke sighs in relief, thanking him profusely, and Ryuji punches him arm with a grin. 

“You’ve been listening to her music, Sophia?” Yusuke questions as they make their way slowly to the station. 

“Yes, as it was important enough to power the searchlights, and it seems humans place a great deal of importance on music,” she says. 

Ryuji throws his can away, Akira a little amazed he could drink the soda in barely a few minutes. “I don’t like this stuff Alice makes but music is awesome! Gets you fired up!” 

Yusuke nods. “I too think music can be a great inspiration. I have painted to music before, it’s a soothing exercise.” 

“Sophia, you want my playlist?” Ryuji says excitedly, and Akira contents himself with absorbing the back and forward of their discussion on music, which somehow manages to get heated in the short time before they get on the train in their separate directions. 

Morgana is asleep when he arrives back at Leblanc, and Akira can’t blame him. It’s incredibly hot, so they’re waiting until it gets a little cooler to act and face Alice. 

“Akira? May I ask you about music?” Sophia says as he sets up the fan in the attic. 

Morgana yawns and turns over, staring at them blearily in acknowledgement. Akira pours him some water in a bowl, which he stumbles over to take a drink. It’s an adorable action, not that Akira will say so. 

He turns his attention back to Sophia. “Sure, what do you want to know?” 

“What is it that makes music so appealing? I think it’s pleasant, how the different sounds meld together, but I don’t understand the fascination.” 

Akira moves to sit on a chair, twirling his phone as he thinks. “They appeal to people’s emotions. Evoke memory, feelings, things you have experienced, things you want to experience. It’s a gateway and escapism; it can boost what you’re feeling or change it into something else. Art in general, has that power over the heart.” 

“Whoa, nicely said,” Morgana says, the water having rejuvenated him enough to have him interested in conversation. 

“That is very interesting, Akira. Thank you,” Sophia says. 

Akira’s can tell she’s mulling it over, so is not surprised when she speaks again. “You seem to like sad songs.” 

Akira laughs, remembering Haru making fun of his music tastes. “I listen to other things too, but I suppose they are quite sad.” 

“Do you have a wound in your heart? Like Alice? That you re-live these emotions in music.” Sophia asks. 

Morgana looks at him, cat face falling. Akira gives him a half smile. “We all have wounds in our hearts, Sophia. It’s part of being human. We try and keep our hearts safe, but they always get bruised, it’s inevitable.”

“Shujin has a habit of making people hurt,” Morgana growls. 

Akira nods at that, remembering just how terrible it had been before meeting his friends. And even then, their experience over the years had been less than happy. 

“So all humans have wounds in their hearts?” Sophia says. 

“Not all, and some of us learn how to patch them over,” Akira says, thinking. “It’s not really healing I’d say, but you can tie yourself back together with good experiences and people, making your way through the pain and coming out the otherside. Alice has never done that, her wound has festered...it’s taken over and she’s stuck.” 

“I see, thank you. But you do have your own wounds, Akira. Can I help?” she says. 

Akira wishes they were in the Jail for a moment, so he could ruffle her hair. “My wounds are fine, Sophia. I’m learning to sew myself back together. You help with that, all my friends do.” 

“And your boyfriend?” Sophia says. 

“And my boyfriend,” Akira agrees, finding it nice that she mentioned him. 

Morgana stretches. “I wonder what Akechi would make of all this? It would be good to have him with us.” 

That pierces Akira’s chest more than he’s anticipating; the sudden shock of Morgana wishing for Goro to be part of their group causes Akira’s own ache double. He reaches out and pets Morgana’s head before he can stop himself. His friend allows it though. 

“He’d have been a great distraction partner. Goro, Sophia and I would have taken them by storm,” he says with a grin. 

“That’s right, I can see it,” Morgana says, but his tone is subdued in the truth of that being impossible. 

“Is this a wound? You have said before it makes you sad you can’t see him,” Sophia asks. 

Again, Akira has to think about that. Her questions are actually proving quite helpful in dissecting his own thoughts, ones he didn’t realise he’d actually needed to explore. “I guess it was a wound, once. It’s not anymore. But that doesn’t mean it’s painless. Connections with others rarely are.” 

He can almost feel her struggling to comprehend that. “Humans seem to cause each other pain. I’m not sure I can help with that.” 

“You can’t,” Akira says with a shrug. “We hurt each other, accidentally and purposefully. I don’t think anyone can say their connection with another person is painless.” 

His certainly haven’t been. From his strained relationship with his parents, disagreements monumental and tiny with his friends, accidental hurts from both sides, nothing is ever easy. 

“But the good parts have to outweigh the bad. I know Goro and I have a...particularly dramatic past,” he says. 

Morgana yowls, and Akira glares at him good naturedly before smiling, and turning back to his musings. “But even if we didn’t, loving isn’t painless. It’s work and effort, it’s taking difficult days, and terrible incidents and working through them. But your bond with each other, your understanding and your care, the good days and the fantastic small moments make it worth every second.” 

Akira pulls at his hair, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed at broadcasting his views on love. Morgana, though, looks at him with bright eyes. “Wow, you’ve really grown a lot, Akira. That was so well put.” 

“I agree, I understand so much better now,” Sophia says. 

“Thanks. I suppose that’s why I prefer sad songs. They don’t try to pretend everything is fine, that I can just wish away my problems. It’s nice to know I’m not alone on difficult days.” 

“You’re never alone, Akira,” Morgana says, and he butts against Akira’s hand, a version of a hug. 

“I know, really,” he says. 

He isn’t. He has great friends, a family in Sojiro and Futaba, and Goro loving him, who combine together to make the world he exists in better and brighter each day. 

“Your voice is 20% happier when you speak of Goro Akechi,” Sophia adds. 

“20%, huh?” Akira says. He would argue it’s more. 

“On average, yes. Although I am using it based on a programme designed to translate cat sounds into human language.”

“That’s-wait did you just call me a cat?” Akira says, as both Morgana and Sophia start laughing. 

* * *

Akira is caught between frustration and excitement at the prospect of the road trip. He wakes up early on the morning of their departure, brimming with a nervous energy born from Alice’s change of heart, but the Jail still standing strong. 

“Akira, I have been thinking about humans changing,” Sophia says as he places clothes in a backpack. 

“Yeah? More on what happened to Alice?” he asks. 

“Yes. Do you change your minds and hearts often?” she says. 

“Depends on what you mean. Hearts can change over time, we change and grow as people constantly. What happened to Alice is...a drastic change, I’ll admit,” Akira says. 

He debates whether he’ll need a dress shirt. His mum, for some unknown reason, had insisted he take it, brand new and possibly a little too small. She’s trying, in her own way. Therefore, he takes it. The camper is pretty big, he thinks he can take a couple of frivolous things. 

“But that is what makes humans good, they can change. You can see the error in your ways and make a different decision,” Sophia says. 

Akira grins. “Yup, that’s right. I believe in giving people a second chance, or allowing them to start again, in the right circumstances.” 

He thinks of Maruki, driving his taxi and passing on the same knowledge. Thinks of Goro making a path for himself, controlled by no one. Of Alice, who will hopefully take her chance to be a guiding light in a different way now she’s unlocked her heart. 

He also thinks of Kamoshida, Madarame, Kaneshiro and Shido, all spending their time behind bars, paying for their crimes. As there are lines which should be drawn, and prices which should be paid. 

“So helping people make changes is something I could do to help,” Sophia says. 

Akira smiles at his phone screen. “It’s a good way to help people,” he reassures. 

“Thank you, Akira,” Sophia replies, then falls silent as he finishes packing. 

The air of excitement surrounds the group as they get ready, finishing up their last minute plans and plotting the route. It will be a long drive all the way to Hokkaido, and Boss is passing on last minute tips to Makoto, who is noting them down. By now, they all know that you listen when Sojiro gives advice. 

“Akira, you are receiving a phone call,” Sophia suddenly says. 

“Err, he doesn’t seem to be?” Ann says, as Akira stares at his blank phone in confusion. 

They’re proved wrong when a second passes and it does indeed ring. 

“Ooh, predictive call screening, can you do that for me Sophia?” Futaba gleefully asks, ever one to avoid phone calls. 

Akira ignores her quiet delight, sliding it to answer without thinking much. 

“Why the hell was your face plastered all over Shibuya, _Joker_?

Akira drops his phone. On the floor. Chaos ensues for a moment as the others jump, the case falls off, and Akira scrambles to pick it back up and piece it together. Haru ends up doing it for him, clearly alarmed by his sudden inability to use his hands. As he raises it to his ear, he hears Sophia’s voice

“...I think this rabbit is cuter."

“Rabbits make a lot of mess, but yes it’s very cute. I don’t know what you’re comparing it to though,” Goro replies. 

_Helping people make changes_ …well, he did tell her it was a good thing to do, Akira thinks. 

“Akira has returned, I’m leaving now!” 

There’s silence both on the phone, and around him as his friends whisper and stare in confusion. He swallows. “Hi,” he manages. 

A warming familiar chuckle crackles down the line. “Hello. It appears you’ve been busy. I leave you alone for a couple of weeks and you’re back being a Phantom Thief.” 

“Well, I’m clearly lost without you,” Akira says, cannot stop the smile from forming. 

“I’m detecting a 30% increase in happiness. Talking with Goro has a great effect,” Sophia says. 

Goro laughs triumphantly, as if Sophia isn’t now going to be able to measure his own levels now she’s spoken with him. He’ll find out in due time. 

“Still not a cat,” he mutters, echoing Morgana, knowing Goro will use this at a later date, especially when he finds out what system she’s using. 

Across from him, Ann’s eyes light up and she mouths ‘Goro’ and he nods. She grins back, but Futaba cups her hands around her mouth and yells “HELLO AKECHI!”

“Hello, Futaba,” he says back, and Akira just leaves, going right back up the stairs; Ann, Ryuji and Futaba holler up more greetings and whistles as he goes. 

“Sorry, they’re excited. We’re going to Hokkaido,” he says, sitting back down on the chair. 

“And you have picked up an AI assistant who is very persuasive in her belief that both of us would be happier if we talked,” Goro says. 

Akira bites his lip, stares vaguely out of the window. “Is that true? You’d...prefer us to talk.” 

He hears Goro moving. “I do think some separation from the outside has been helpful but...not all of it. I have...missed you, Akira,” he says after a moment, still not used to sharing such feelings. 

“I miss you too,” Akira says, warmth radiating as the words arrive, and he lets it run free, curl through him. “How are you?” 

Goro hums. “Doing well, I believe. It’s quiet here, peaceful.”

There’s another yell from downstairs, which Akira can identify as Yusuke, then Ryuji, followed by Makoto’s hushing. “I wonder what that’s like,” he says. 

He can hear the smile in Goro’s voice. “You prefer their obnoxious loudness, I know. But the schedule here is good, enough of my own time. I hadn’t been checking the news until someone brought my attention to a spectacle my boyfriend put on.” 

Akira can’t deny the thought of Goro watching their calling card gives him a thrill. “Was it to your liking?” 

“As dramatic as ever, but that's you, isn’t it? Especially when you put on the mask. I must admit, the nostalgia of seeing you as Joker did surprise me. But tell me, how are _you_?” 

Akira has to ignore the stirring in his stomach as Goro’s voice takes on an almost purr-like quality when he says _Joker_. But that’s an entirely separate set of fantasies that cannot be lived out in this second. 

“I’m good. I wasn’t expecting to be doing this on my summer vacation, but it has been nice seeing everyone, and being back in Tokyo,” Akira says. 

“Glad you got out of your hometown, pretty as it was, I know you hate the damn place. Although annoying your parents was fun,” Goro says, the sharp grin clear even by phone. 

“Only you would find that fun,” Akira says. He switches tactics to the present. “I take it Sophia contacted you to make this happen.” 

“She did while informing me of your little stunt. I thought surprising you with a call would be the best way to respond,” Goro says. 

_Of course you did, always enjoying having the advantage. I’ll get you back,_ Akira thinks to himself.

There’s a beep in his ear. “I have the capability to ensure Akira can receive calls wherever we are, so I’ll always be able to schedule them,” Sophia says. 

“Aren’t you efficient,” Goro replies. 

“I am, I’m humanity’s companion, and you both need to talk to each other more. I don’t want wounds in your hearts,” Sophia says. 

“Wounds. Really, Akira what the hell have you got into? And who is this PubSec trash threatening you,” Goro says, voice becoming knife-edge dangerous.

“Gramps,” Sophia corrections. Akira wonders when they started having a three way call. 

“It’s a longish story, but I seem to have a long car ride. If you have time?” Akira asks. 

“My morning is free, and it seems I’ll need to take time to check you’re not doing anything too stupid this summer. Especially if you miss me,” Goro adds. 

“You miss me,” Akira counters. 

“Sophia, who do you think missed the other more? As I’m sure Akira’s been pathetically moping around,” Goro says. 

“Don’t use Sophia against me,” Akira chides, but she’s already regaling Goro with their conversations and which songs he’s been listening to on repeat, which causes Goro to instantly start cackling. 

It doesn’t matter though. As Goro’s presence fills the gap he left, even if for now it will be the odd phone calls as they follow the scent of Jails across the country for the summer. It’s another step forward, another movement to the future. 

And Akira is ready for it. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! You can find me on [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/EnlacingL/)


End file.
